There are two types of deed poll: enrolled and unenrolled. An unenrolled deed poll is the standard document, and it is what almost everyone uses.



If you've seen the term enrolled deed poll and wondered whether you need one, you almost certainly don't. Enrolment is a court process in England and Wales, and an unenrolled deed poll is fully valid in Northern Ireland without it.

Enrolled vs Unenrolled Deed Polls

What an Unenrolled Deed Poll Is

An unenrolled deed poll is a private legal document. It is not registered with any court or government body, because no registration is needed for it to be legally binding.

Once signed and witnessed, it is accepted as proof of your name change throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, including by HM Passport Office, the DVA, HMRC, banks and employers.



Your name change also stays private. Your details are not entered on any public record or searchable register. You inform the organisations that hold your records, and nobody else.

What Enrolment Is

Enrolment means registering a deed poll with the Royal Courts of Justice in London. It is a process within the court system of England and Wales.

When a deed poll is enrolled, the name change becomes part of the public record. Your old name, your new name and the date of the change can be viewed by anyone who requests them. Enrolment also adds cost and takes considerably longer.

Enrolment does not make a deed poll more legally valid. An enrolled and an unenrolled deed poll have identical legal effect.

You Don't Need an Enrolled Deed Poll in Northern Ireland

Enrolment belongs to the England and Wales court system, and there is no equivalent process in Northern Ireland. An unenrolled deed poll is the standard way to change your name here, accepted by every organisation.



If you've read about enrolled deed polls on websites covering England and Wales, that information doesn't change anything for you. Your unenrolled deed poll carries full legal validity in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.

Which Type to Use

In Northern Ireland, you should use an unenrolled deed poll. It has the same legal validity, keeps your name change private, costs less, and arrives in days.

Every deed poll issued by NI Name Change is guaranteed to be accepted in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.

Ready to Change Your Name?

Apply online and receive your deed poll by post within days. Each document is drafted to Northern Irish requirements, printed on parchment paper and embossed with a seal.